Thursday, July 20, 2006

An Afghan Gift of Gratitude

With the OEF & OIF death toll over 2,000, soaring IED casualties and a seemingly ungrateful American public (that despite gas prices are still parroting the 'war for oil' mantra) --it's good to read that someone is grateful for the sacrifices...

"...Grayson Gile may have completed his broader mission in Afghanistan as a member of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force, but he returned stateside with a mission of a more personal nature.

Gile's mission - one he chose to embrace - involves a very special rug handcrafted by an Afghan man anxious to show his gratitude to President George W. Bush for this country's efforts to bring democracy to Afghanistan.

The colorful and beautifully crafted rug was hand-knotted by an elderly Hazara man from Kabul. The Hazaras, believed to be descendants of Ghengis Khan, were one of the most persecuted ethnic minorities in the Middle Eastern country prior to the U.S.-backed Northern Alliance's war with the Taliban....

"I think they were under the mistaken impression that I had all sorts of access to the president, but I told them I would do my best - that I would get it to him one way or another. What I don't want to happen however, is for it to go straight into a warehouse somewhere. It doesn't matter what your politics are, anyone who was genuine would appreciate the effort of one little man from Kabul spending a year of his life hand knotting this rug. I was told it was really a gift to the people of the United States from the people of Afghanistan for assisting in the stabilization of the region. It was a labor of love and is a gift from the heart."" (source)